Cibo Matto

Cibo Matto (pronounced [ˈtʃiːbo ˈmatto]; Italian for 'crazy food') was an American alternative rock band formed by Yuka Honda and Miho Hatori in New York City in 1994. Their first album, Viva! La Woman (1996), had lyrics primarily concerned with food. For their second album, Stereo Type A (1999), they expanded into broader subject matter and recruited Sean Lennon, Timo Ellis, and Duma Love.

Honda and Hatori are Japanese expatriates. Their first album sold 40,000 copies in Japan, but was more successful in the U.S., with over 74,000 copies sold. Over time, their following in Japan grew, which resulted in their signing to Japanese record label Commmons in 2014.

After an almost decade-long hiatus, Honda and Hatori reunited in 2011, playing a series of concerts and recording new material. They released their third and final studio album, Hotel Valentine, in 2014. It reached number 168 on the Billboard 200. Cibo Matto announced their split in December 2017.

After working together in the noise rock band Leitoh Lychee, Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda formed Cibo Matto in 1994 with Honda as the instrumentalist and Hatori as the vocalist (although occasionally Honda sang and Hatori contributed instrumentally). In 1995, Cibo Matto released a self titled EP on El Diablo Records. The EP caught the attention of Warner Bros. Records, which signed Cibo Matto later in the year. Through Warner Bros., the duo released its first major album, Viva! La Woman. Cibo Matto is an Italian phrase that translates to "Crazy Food" and many of the tracks from Viva! La Woman, which was produced by Mitchell Froom, featured lyrics related to food, including "Know Your Chicken", "Apple", and "Birthday Cake". The album's first single, "Sugar Water", was a modest college radio and dance hit. The song was accompanied by an innovative split screen music video that was directed by Michel Gondry, where each side showed the same footage—one side going forward, and one backward, meeting mid-song. After the music videos for "Know Your Chicken" and "Sugar Water" enjoyed success on MTV, Cibo Matto made appearances on various television shows such as Oddville, Viva Variety, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. "Birthday Cake" was heavily featured in the video game Jet Set Radio Future. In 1996, Cibo Matto contributed "Águas De Março (Waters of March)" to the AIDS benefit album Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin, which was produced by the Red Hot Organization.

In 1997, Cibo Matto released a new EP entitled Super Relax, which would complete the line-up by introducing new members Sean Lennon and Timo Ellis with Duma Love joining soon thereafter. In 1998, Lennon released his debut solo album Into the Sun, which featured Hatori ("Into the Sun", "Sean's Theme") and Ellis ("Mystery Juice", "Home", "Spaceship"). Into the Sun was produced and inspired by Honda (whom Lennon was dating at the time). Honda, Hatori, Ellis and Love appeared in the closing scene of the video for Lennon's single "Home". Cibo Matto went on to release its second album Stereo Type A in 1999. Although it was a departure from the familiar sound of Viva! La Woman, Stereo Type A was well received by music critics. That year the band performed with Luscious Jackson at The Opera House in Toronto.

Cibo Matto continued to play live and tour until disbanding in 2002. Honda said: "We felt the need to move to the next step. It was a healthy decision, though it was sad at the same time. Things just need to grow out of things sometimes." All of the members of Cibo Matto went on to release solo material. A compilation entitled Pom Pom: The Essential Cibo Matto was released in 2007.

Cibo Matto announced their reunion on March 18, 2011, in advance of the benefit concert for victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The concert, which took place on March 27 at Columbia University in New York City, also included Yoko Ono, John Zorn, Sonic Youth, and Mike Patton. Following the success of this show, a second was added, this time featuring the Plastic Ono Band and Patti Smith along with Cibo Matto.

The group appeared at the Hollywood Bowl on June 26, 2011, for another benefit, alongside Yellow Magic Orchestra.